I can say what I want, ask for something, and ask permission — and make a request polite: “Queria um quarto, se faz favor”.
I want and I can
I want and I can
To say what you want, to ask for something, and to ask permission, you need two verbs.
querer: quero, queres, quer, queremos, querem. After it comes a thing (“Quero a chave”) or a second verb in the infinitive, with no preposition where English has “to” (“Quero descansar”).
poder: posso, podes, pode, podemos, podem. It has three jobs: a request (“Podes abrir a janela?”), permission (“Posso entrar?”), and possibility (“Não posso descansar”). An infinitive always follows it.
“Quero um quarto” sounds blunt to a stranger, as English “I want a room” does. At a hotel, in a store, and with strangers, people say “Queria uma chave, se faz favor”, like English “I'd like…”. It's a set polite form — learn it whole; the rule comes later.
Short answers repeat the verb: “Posso entrar? — Pode, sim.”, “Queres ajuda? — Quero, obrigada.”
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Quero de descansar” — no preposition after these verbs: “Quero descansar.”
• NOT “Posso entro?” — the second verb is an infinitive: “Posso entrar?”
• NOT “Eu queres um quarto” — the person form: “Eu quero um quarto.”
Querer and poder
After either verb, the second verb is in the infinitive, with no preposition.
| Who | querer (to want) | poder (can) |
|---|---|---|
| eu | quero | posso |
| tu | queres | podes |
| ele, ela, você | quer | pode |
| nós | queremos | podemos |
| eles, elas, vocês | querem | podem |
Asking in different situations
With a stranger, “Quero” sounds abrupt — use “Queria”.
| Form | Who with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Quero… | with family and friends | Quero a chave |
| Queria… | with a stranger, at a hotel, in a store | Queria a chave, se faz favor |
| Posso…? | permission and requests | Posso entrar? |
Lesson notes
I want and I can
To say what you want, to ask for something, and to ask permission, you need two verbs.
querer: quero, queres, quer, queremos, querem. After it comes a thing (“Quero a chave”) or a second verb in the infinitive, with no preposition where English has “to” (“Quero descansar”).
poder: posso, podes, pode, podemos, podem. It has three jobs: a request (“Podes abrir a janela?”), permission (“Posso entrar?”), and possibility (“Não posso descansar”). An infinitive always follows it.
“Quero um quarto” sounds blunt to a stranger, as English “I want a room” does. At a hotel, in a store, and with strangers, people say “Queria uma chave, se faz favor”, like English “I'd like…”. It's a set polite form — learn it whole; the rule comes later.
Short answers repeat the verb: “Posso entrar? — Pode, sim.”, “Queres ajuda? — Quero, obrigada.”
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Quero de descansar” — no preposition after these verbs: “Quero descansar.”
• NOT “Posso entro?” — the second verb is an infinitive: “Posso entrar?”
• NOT “Eu queres um quarto” — the person form: “Eu quero um quarto.”